Second Chance
by Crystal di Angelo
Summary: A cowritten story between Elaine Weasley and I. Fred Weasley is given a second chance during the battle of Hogwarts, but a deal is also made. He will have to go into another reality and help a very confused individual. Who is also known as...
1. Chapter 1

A/N: The following story is a joint effort between myself, Elaine Weasley, and Crystal di Angelo. I really hope you like it! I am a huge fan of both the Avengers and Harry Potter, so I hope I do well with my part in the writing. I will be writing the first ch. and Crystal di Angelo will write the second ch. and so on. Please let us know how you like it!  
I have only read the book once, and I do not have it at hand, so the beginning of this will not follow the book word for word. I am just trying to remember how it went!

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Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the Avengers. Warner Brothers, J.K. Rowling, Marvel, and Stan Lee do.

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Chapter One

It had all started out with a joke. Not just any joke, but a joke by one Percy Weasley. Fred was utterly surprised and happy. Which was quite a feat given that he and his brother were in the middle of a duel during a huge battle. That in itself wasw enough to make Fred laugh. The fact that his uptight, rule following older brother, was making a real joke, in the middle of a serious decide-the-fate-of-the-world battle.

"Oh, hello Minister!" Percy said, blocking a spell that was thrown his way." I don't suppose you got the memo." He dodged another curse."I'm-" he cast a hex "-resigning!" And with a flourish of his wand, the Minister of Magic was flung across the hall and knocked unconcious.

Fred looked at his brother in disbelief. "Did you just make a joke, Perce?" The grin on his face was huge. "I haven't heard you make a joke since-"

And that was when it all went wrong. On moment Fred was exclaiming about Percy's amazing joke, and the next he was in a world of pain.

Fred didn't understand what happened. What had he been doing? Oh, right...he had been fighting. Percy of all people had made him laugh. And then, there had been an explosion. Oh, the wall. That was what had happened. The wall had blown up, and had fallen on top of him. That's why he hurt so much. He felt like he was dying. In fact, he knew he was dying. He didn't know how he knew, because he had never died before. Ugh, why was it so hard to think?

It was weird. of all the things he could be thinking right now, it was the fact that it was a really dumb way to die. Really? The biggest battle ever, and he died by falling wall. It was pathetic.

He thought he heard somone yell his name. He tried to answer, but he was just too weak to do anything. He couldn't see anything, and there was an awful ringing in his ears. He wanted so badly to tell whoever it was calling to him, that he was fine. But he knew it wasn't.

His last thought before the darkness consumed him, was "I'm sorry Georgie."

* * *

Fred wasn't sure what to think when he woke up. For one thing, he didn't hurt anymore. For another, it was foggy. Not the wet fog you could feel, but a bright white fog that just hung there. He blinked, wondering if he was in heaven. After all, he had died, right?

Well, if this was heaven then, he was going to explore and see what he was going to have to work with for the rest of eternity.

He stood up, still surprised at the fact that he didn't hurt anymore. He looked around, and found the strange fog lifting. He could see things now. He blinked in confusion. Was this...King's Cross Station? Nah. Way too clean. But it was without a doubt a train station. But everything was white. Way too white. He mentally started to make a list of things he would have to do to improve his new home, if this was indeed heaven, and he was going to be here forever. Color. The place definitely needed color. And it was too quiet. Maybe some music?

He started to walk around, wondering, if this was heaven, where was everyone else?

Fred started, and whipped around. His jaw dropped, as he realized who was standing behind him.

"Professor Dumbledore?" he squeeked. Okay, he was at least dead, because last time he checked, Dumbledore had been dead for about a year.

"Yes my boy." The old man smiled, and Fred noticed the familiar twinkle in his eye. He found himself smiling back.

"You probably have some questions." Dumbledore said, moving to sit down on a bench. Fred hesitated, and then sat down as well.

"Well, yes, I suppose. Am I dead?" It was a stupid question, he knew, but for some reason he felt he had to clarify.

Dumbledore sighed, looking off into the distance, waiting a moment before answering. "Do you know where you are?"

Fred gave the strangely clean train station a quick look, and said, "It looks like King's Cross." He stopped, not sure how to continue.

"Indeed. Normallly, you would wait here, for a train. And then that train would take you on."

"On? You mean like, to heaven?" Fred questioned.

"Something like that." Dumbledore answered, but then the rest of what he had said registered.

"Wait, what do you mean, by 'Normally'?" This was starting to confuse Fred.

Dumbledore gave a small sigh. "I'm afraid that your case is a bit different. You see, there is someone who would like to talk to you."

Fred's brow wrinkled in confusion. His was a different case? How could it be different? Didn't a person just die?

Dumbledore looked over Fred's shoulder, and Fred turned to see what it was that had caught his attention. His eyes bugged out, as he saw three beautiful women standing not five feet from the bench he sat on. How had he not heard them? But no. That wasn't what was currently on his mind. The fact that they were drop dead beautiful was what was on his mind.

"Uhh..." he managed to get out, immediately feeling mortified. He could feel the heat rising on his face, and he almost looked away, but something kept him from doing so.

Dumbledore cleared his throat, and rose from the bench. "I'm afraid my time with you is rather abrupt. I couldn't tell you much, and for that I am sorry. But rest assured, everything you wish to know will be explained. Just remember Fred, to be a Gryffindor. Be brave."

"Wait, what? Professor, where are you going?" Fred felt panic rise in his chest, and he started to rise, to follow the old wizard, but a voice from behind stopped him.

"Fear not, Fred Weasley. He has other business to attend to. Someone else who has a, shall we say, 'different case'." Fred jerked his attention back to the three women, and realized the one in the middle was who had spoken. The brunette.  
"Who, what?" Fred stammered, unable to get a coherent thought out.

The middle woman spoke again. "My name is Vervandi. I do not know if you have heard of me in your world, but I am one of the three Fates, also known as the Norns. The other two, are my sisters," here Vervandi gestered first to the blond on her right," Urdr," and then the one on her left, the black haired one, "Skuld."

"Uh, well, I think I may have heard about you, somewhere. I thought you were part of Norse Mythology." Fred wasn't sure. He didn't remember where he had dug up that information.

"Indeed. Usually, we wouldn't do this, but myself, and my sister's, have decided to change your fate." Vervandi paused, as if waiting for Fred to say something, but Fred wasn't sure what to say.

Vervandi sighed. "Let me first explain to you. Do you understand the concept of different realities?" At Fred's unsure look, she continued. "Say, one day, you decide to go to the park. And while you're there, you happen to meet a girl that is visiting from another country. You strike up a conversation, and exchange contact information. Then, you get to know this girl better, you visit each other often, and eventually, you marry. Then you have, say, four children. Mayby one of them becomes a brilliant scientist, who invents a cure for cancer." Noticing the questioning look on Fred's face, Vervandi quickly said," It's a muggle disease. But then you think back. What would have happened if you hadn't gone to the park that day? You would never have met that girl. You would have stayed a bachelor, and never had any children. And the cure for cancer would have to wait to be invented by someone else. What I have just described to you, is an example of two different realities. They may both exist, but in two different dimensions. Does this make sense?"

Fred wasn't sure what this had to do with him, but he got the gist of what was being said, so he nodded.

"There is a reality, one that my sisters and I frequent more than any other. It is different from where you are from, in that, there is not a community of magic users. There are a few people who may practice it, but nothing near what your home is like."

Fred nodded again, trying to puzzle through what was going on.

"My sister, Skuld," Vervandi gestured to the black haired woman," has forseen a difficult future for this one reality. One that could be better. There is someone, a magic user somewhat like yourself, that will be greatly misunderstood, and put through things he shouldn't have to go through. He has already been through much." Here, Vervandi got a pained, sad look on her face. But she quickly regained her composure and continued. " We, my sisters and I, have decided to try to change things. You, Fred Weasley, are still young, and of a good heart. You are brave and courageous, and still have so much to offer." A small smile graced her features as she said," And yes, dying by falling wall is rather pathetic. So, we want you to go to this reality and help."

Fred blinked. "Come again?"

"We are intervening. We were owed a favor from Death, and he has allowed us to spare you. You are being given a second chance."

Fred was gaping, his brain trying to process and work through everything that was being said. "Wh-what? You mean I'm not gonna die? But then why can't I go home? Back to my family? My brother, George, he's my twin. I can't leave him!"

"You did die, in your former reality. For all intents and purposes, you cannot go back there. Your family must move on. This was part of our deal with Death. You still die in your reality, but you will be alive in another."

Fred took a deep breath, shocked by what was happening. " I don't suppose I even have a say in this. I mean, what if I don't want to do it?"

Here Vervandi got a look on her face that he had seen on his mother's face far too often, which said, "you are going to listen young man whether you like it or not!" and he choked off any other objections he may have had. His head was swirling with everything they had said, and he had so much to ask, but the three women started to back up.

"Wait!" he finally called. "What do I do?"

"Do not worry, everything will go fine. Just follow your feet." And with one last look, they faded into the mist, and Fred's world faded to black.

* * *

Phil Coulson already had a headache, and he didn't need any more things to worry about at the moment, but when the alarm went off, he knew it couldn't be ignored.

"What have we got?" he asked the agent working at the security station.

"There was just a massive energy surge to the north of the compound. It lasted only three seconds, and it now gone, but it made our sensors go haywire."

Phil immediately thought of the thunder god, Thor, and asked, " Is it anything from the tesseract, or does it match any other energy readings like the ones we recorded in New Mexico?"

The agent quickly accessed the necessary data, and shook his head. "It was a little like the readings from New Mexico, but it was a lot more powereful."

Phil paused a second, thinking. He didn't want to take any chances, and thought there didn't seem to be a threat at the moment, he wanted to be careful. "Get me Agent Barton."  
*Space*

Clint groaned when he got the call from Coulson. He had just finished playing babysitter for Selvig, and had looked forward to taking a nap before the scientist decided to have another go. But he quickly squashed any annoyed feelings, and immediately went into agent mode. In a matter of minutes, he had a team put together and they were heading to the source of the disturbance. The last time he was investigating weird readings, he got to watch some serious fighting by a supposedly god of thunder. He wondered if things would be as eventful this time.

He had only his hand gun, and only briefly considered going back for his bow, but decided against it. He held his hand up to stop the other agents, who had created a perimeter around the area in question. It was raining slightly, and Clint couldn't see as well as he could have otherwise. That, and the fact that it was dark out, were both rather annoying.

"Cover me," he spoke into his comm, and he slowly made his way forward. Watching intently for any sign of trouble, he was totally unprepared for what he did find. Not fifteen feet in, he almost stepped on it. A person. Clint was rather embarrassed that he jumped and almost yelped. But his training kicked in, and once he made sure that there was no one else there, he quickly bent down and felt for a pulse. Steady, if a bit fast. Clint could see no visible injuries. He sighed. "So much for that nap."

"Agent Barton repoｒting," he said into the comm as he stood back up.

"Go ahead," was Coulson's reply.

Clint took another look at the red headed young man at his feet, and said, "We have a situation."

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There is chapter one! Hope you all liked it! Did any of you catch my Knight's Tale quote?


	2. Chapter 2

Guest review response from Elaine Weasley:

_**Midnight: Elaine Weasley here! Thank you for your review! As far as you having read worse, I suppose I'm glad that my writing wasn't the worst you've read;-) Hope you enjoy the chapters to come!**_

_**Okay, to those who read the first chapter, you might guess that I'm Crystal di Angelo. Since the last chapter wasn't mine, I will not be responding to the reviews. Elaine Weasley will, however, through private messages. As for guest reviews, they will be posted here.**_

_Second Chance_

_Chapter Two_

"I don't care if this boy/teen/mutant/whatever the heck he is possesses feelings. I want answers, right now! Interrogate him the moment he awakes. Run tests on that bloody stick he was holding. Analyze his clothes. Really, why are those clothes still in fashion anyway?" Director Fury barked orders at his agents. He was seriously stressed out now. How the bloody hell could a guy just appear out of thin air and pop onto Earth again? _Oh, hello, say hi! I love wasting S.H.I.E.L.D.'s manpower, so I distract all of you with a bizarre appearance! _One magic wielding villain was enough. Nick Fury did _not_ need another one to complicate his day. And there was always the possibility of the boy working together with Loki.

Agent Clinton Barton cautiously slipped the stick out of the boy's death grasp. What could the thin piece of carefully whittled stick mean, to be treasured so by the unknown boy?

He evaluated it with a quick glance before dropping it into a plastic bag. It looked as if it had a pine cone handle, though the wood was smooth and the rings blurred that Clint couldn't specify the type of wood. It was about 14 inches long, just a little shorter than his arrows.

Agent Phil Coulson was busy snapping photos of the boy, keeping them for possible future reference. Agent Maria Hill was reporting to the Council in place of her superior. Clint didn't envy her job, not one bit.

As for Director Nicholas 'Nick' Fury himself…

He was nursing a large migraine. Fury's expression made Clint reconsider his ambition to become the commander.

Agent Natasha Romanova was preparing the shock equipment to wake the prisoner up. She was the best in that field, and Clint be damned if the boy didn't wake up in three minutes after Natasha's treatments.

The rarely seen peaceful night at S.H.I.E.L.D. was gone.

_Goodbye, rest._ Clint thought mournfully.

_**Line break**_

Lots of complaints, shouts, grunts and commands later.

The scanners were up and running, the shock equipment ready to function at the press of a button. The boy was located in the best position possible, secured to his place with all kinds of binders. Even slightly scary portable rope tasers were wrapped around his hands. If he moved one finger out of S.H.I.E.L.D. base, he would immediately be tasered with at least a hundred volts of electricity.

Natasha pressed the button.

Everything else happened in a matter of seconds. The boy shot upright, some kind of energy wave spreading out from him, cutting through the taser ropes and the various chains holding him down. Eyes wild, the boy dove for the door as Clint grabbed his bow and took aim. The boy dashed down the corridor, taking S.H.I.E.L.D. agents by surprise and passing them, until one agent saw him coming from a distance and landed a kick on him, but the boy was panicking, and let loose another similar energy wave. The agent dropped dead instantly.

The boy paused, staring wide-eyed at the dead agent. Clint noted the brief flash of fear in his eyes, then the boy was running again, determined to get out of here.

Clint didn't follow the boy. Instead, he took a shortcut. If the boy managed to get out of the building, judging from the direction he was headed in, there was only one exit for him. And Clint intended to get there before him.

Just as he skidded to a stop in front of the exit, he found Natasha already waiting there. He barely had time to make eye contact with her before he heard Director Fury's furious roar.

"Bad news." Natasha murmured. "I'll check it out. Keep the exit guarded."

She slipped into the shadows lithely, like a cat.

Clint waited. And waited. An agent came by to inform him that he was on night duty for guarding the door, since the red-headed boy hadn't exited the building yet, therefore he must be still within the grounds.

Doctors and scientists hurried by, conversing in hushed whispers about who a certain Doctor Harrison was doomed.

The very next day, a sleep deprived Nick Fury assembled the Avengers. Well, the potential candidates anyway.

_**Line break**_

"Hypothetically speaking… People could move from place to place in science fiction right. So this boy," Tony Stark tapped the photo of the freckled, red headed boy. "May be a mutant of some sort that can teleport." This photo was taken by Agent Coulson, and the boy was smiling even when unconscious. But Director Fury definitely wasn't.

"Tell me one more time, Stark, why can't you just design the cuffs out of vibranium or something?" He fumed. "Now that damned threat could be anywhere! In places that S.H.I.E.L.D. has no influence, no satellites to pick up abnormal energy readings. He could be causing a massacre in Africa right now and no one would be able to stop him!"

"Listen, Nicky, magic is a whole new field of science for me." Tony growled, wagging an accusing finger at Fury. "I specialize in mechanics. Genius I may be, thank you very much for the compliment, but we weren't expecting a whole new wave of freaky magic users! Heck, maybe his magic could even cut through vibranium and that would just be a waste of good metal!"

Steve looked troubled and confused as he studied the boy's peaceful face and mischievous smile. "He's just a child. Shouldn't we try to talk to him before starting all the…interrogation tactics?"

"He killed. That alone is enough to give us a legal reason to gun him down." Agent Hill explained.

"Sadly enough, I'll have to side with Capsicle on this one." Tony announced. "Don't look at me like that. Despite popular belief, I _do_ have a heart. I'll give you a talk on the greatness of my heart later, but the point is, if you provoke a neutral party, you'll have a hostile party on your hands in a millisecond."

"He started it by appearing unannounced within three miles of our compound using unidentified transport." Agent Coulson sounded a little childish.

"Unconscious." Tony interjected, frowning. "I think you conveniently left that part out."

"That wasn't in the briefing, Tony." Steve said, slightly admonishing, though his eyes were shooting daggers at the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

Tony shrugged. "So what? They were withholding important information. It is fully in my rights, as a party of a legal contract, to obtain all information I can about the subject."

Director Fury finally snapped. Exploding, he slammed a fist on the table. "We did NOT survive this long on compassion. We see threats, we act to demolish them. We don't take chances. Compassion isn't going to help you in the long run of protecting Earth. You learn that in this trade. Would you choose to baby a potential criminal or to let someone blow this whole damned place up? Huh? This isn't about morals, it's about survival!"

Steve looked at war with himself. At last, he put his foot down. "Okay, we can deal with this later. What matters now is that we've got to find the boy. Do you have a name for him?"

"No." Agent Romanoff looked extremely displeased with her answer. "Not even a false identity. He was too fast. Use the code name George Doe. John Doe is getting old."

"Besides," Agent Barton added darkly. "That was the name of the agent he'd murdered in cold blood."

There were no further arguments about the innocence of the boy.

_**Line break**_

"Where _am_ I?" Fred thought, eyeing the icy landscape around him. The first place he'd had in his mind while apparating was the Burrow, but apparently his home really didn't exist in this world, and therefore winded up somewhere else. At least he didn't splinch, though.

Fred used an improvised version of the Bubble-Headed Charm and the Hot-Air Charm, which he'd renamed Warm-Bubble-Body-Charm-Invented-By-Fred-Weasley-AKA-Coolest-Guy-Ever. It was a little too long, so he shortened it to WBBCIBFWACG. Okay, he had to admit that even just the initials were a little too long, but really, it would be discrediting him by not inserting his name and cool in the spell.

Fred wandered alone in the cold and darkness. He couldn't feel the cold, thanks to the WBBCIBFWACG, but still, all these added to the lonely feeling that had been gnawing at his gut. Something felt missing.

That missing part was George.

For all their life, they had never been apart for more than a day. Even that day seemed like an eternity. He wondered how his twin brother was doing back in the other world. Come to think of it, was he still alive in the other world, or there was just a dead body? His family would be horrified. He hoped that George would be strong enough to cope with it. Or is anyone else dead? He hoped not. Did they win the war?

He dearly hoped that they did.

But at the moment, Fred was more concerned about his survival. _Then _he can think about his family. _And then _figure out who exactly it was that he was sent here to help. It must be someone really prominent, given that the…whatever they were…Nines maybe? Had paid special attention to him. He sorted through the information he currently had on this guy.

_Info on Mysterious Guy:_

_I feel like a stalker._

_Magic user like me. No wonder whatever organization that was tried to electrocute me. Gah, what happened to good old burning witches and wizards at the stake?_

_Greatly misunderstood. Oh-kay…_

_Put through things he shouldn't have to go through. Stuff enough to make a Nine sad. Gee, given that they are women who are probably really touchy feely, seeing how angry that brunette was at me in a second. Maybe he just lost a girlfriend or something._

_How the hell am I going to find him?!_

Fred sighed. "That narrows it down so much. Thanks, Nines." He loaded his voice with sarcasm. "That only makes like, what, half the population in this reality? Given how little I know about this place, you should just send a local like that scary Pirate Man."

No response.

_Well, at least the Nines had the thought to leave the wand in my possession._

Not that he needed a wand to kill.

Fred shivered at the thought. He remembered how the man had fallen at his feet, head sliced off neatly.

That was _him._ He'd killed.

An innocent man, probably just following orders or trying to protect himself, judging from the terrified look on his face.

And Fred had just killed him.

He might have a wife, maybe even children. They had just lost their pillar of support, their father. An uncle, a husband, a son. Just because Fred didn't understand what was going on and lashed out with accidental magic.

It's not like Fred hasn't seen death before, he'd seen plenty of it during the Battle of Hogwarts, just…not one caused by _him_.

Oh, heavens, what had he done? He might just as well go and surrender to whatever organization that was and let them do what they will with him.

Except that Fred didn't think that he, a murderer, would deserve the mercy of death.

Fred screamed into the howling wind, letting all his emotions out. Another wave of power crashed through him, and a snow rabbit dropped dead not more than five meters away.

Fred backed into a corner of his cave, trying his best to control the mysterious power that had grown inside him somehow, sobbing. This wasn't just accidental magic. He'd never heard of young witches or wizards accidentally killing people. Somehow, something else was interfering. Making Fred a monster.

He grabbed his wand with shaking hands, trying to decide whether to snap it. It was the channel for his magic, a part of him for all these years, but without it, trying to use magic without something to direct it properly might just result in more mayhem.

A tear dripped onto the wand and instantly froze there. Fred pocketed the wand again, cursing his weakness. One simple flick of his hand, and his magic would be no more. Just like that. The murderer's weapon would be gone. And yet he had killed without it.

Utterly worn and spent, Fred laughed. He laughed until tears rolled again, remembering exactly how he had ended up in this predicament. Percy had made a joke.

Prefect Percy had just made a joke with him. It had felt so long ago when they were all a complete family again.

"I need to complete this stupid task the Nines gave me." Fred said aloud, trying to sound more confident. "It shouldn't be any biggie, or else they would have sent Harry Potter himself. Then maybe I can go home."

Nothing but the wind answered him. But all of a sudden, he felt relieved again.

True, they might not accept him when they learned that he had blood on his hands. The Nines might not send him home.

But at least now he had a path to walk.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: First off, many apologies to everyone who was hoping for a quick update. It was completely my fault, for not getting my chapter done more quickly. One wore: College.**

**Disclaimer: See first chapter.**

**Chapter Three**

* * *

Fred was seriously beginning to wonder where on earth he was.

After having a moment to sit and cry, Fred had decided to look around more. Surprise! More and more snow. He was actually starting to feel a bit of the chill, the WBBCIBFWACG not working as well as it had when it had started.

It wasn't until he came face to face with a big blue…person? That he realized he might not be on earth anymore.

"Uh…" he said intelligently.

The giant, blue being, who upon further inspection looked as though he had strange markings carved into his body, stared at him with eerie blood red eyes. When the being actually spoke, it was in a deep rumbling voice that had Fred jumping.

"What are you?"

"Huh?" Fred asked.

"You look mortal, but no mortal has ever come to Jotunheim before. And there is something about you…a power that I can almost smell, it is so great. You have some sort of spell to block out the cold around you."

Fred blinked a few times, and then finally stuttered out, "Jotunheim? Where on earth is that?"

Red eyes blinked. "You are not on earth. Jotunheim is a separate realm from Midgard."

"Midgard…" Fred mouthed out. Then shaking his head, rather confused, he said, "Well, I don't know how I here. I thought I had disapperated-tried to get home. But I came here instead. I am supposed to be on earth, to help someone. The three nines sent me here. But I was doing things that I shouldn't be able to do. Powerful magic that I've never been able to accomplish, and-oh bugger. I'm rambling."

Fred stopped, feeling extremely unsure about this whole bizarre situation. Here he was, on a planet that apparently wasn't earth, talking to a giant blue alien, about magic.

"The nines?"

Fred jumped as the giant spoke.

"Do you perhaps mean the Norns?"

Fred blinked. "Oh, oh yeah. That's what they were called."

"You are indeed special to have been given a task by the Norns. I cannot pretend to understand your plight-why you ended up here. But I do know that if you got yourself here, you must be able to get yourself back."

"From what you're saying, I'm on a completely different planet. How in the world I brought myself here is beyond me. How do you expect me to go back?"

The giant stood still a moment. "I too am intrigued by how a mere mortal could possess as much power as the All Father himself. But if the Norns gave you a task, you must complete it. If you came here, when you should be on…earth, then you have to go back. I have heard strange rumors of a darkness that is coming. A powerful evil. Something tells me that you may be a part of it. I can think of no other explanation."

"I don't want to be a part of anything! I just want to go home." Fred could feel the tears coming back. All the fear and frustration was welling up in him again, and he was finding it difficult to compose himself.

"I do not pretend to know what has happened. You may or may not feel comfortable telling me more, but I see a deep bravery inside you. Whatever this is, you can do it."

Fred closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Yes, things were scary. He missed his family. Missed George. They all thought he was dead.

But it wasn't like he didn't have a purpose. He had a mission.

Unsure of where on earth-or Jotunheim-the courage came from, Fred was suddenly filled with an overwhelming determination.

He was going to figure this out. He could do this. Whatever strange magic he had now, he would figure it out.

Fred swallowed. Looking up at the blue giant again, he said, "Uh, well, thanks. I guess I feel a little better."

"I am glad to have helped. You intrigue me. Might I ask your name?"

"Oh, uh, Fred Weasley."

"Hmm. You mortals have such strange names. I am Helblindi. I know you must leave, to do whatever it is you must-I sense time is running short- but I hope to meet you again someday."

Fred nodded, vaguely realizing that this blue guy seemed to have a knowledge of magic, and asked,"If you don't mind my asking, what exactly are you?"

"I am a Jotun. Others have called my race Frost Giants before, but Jotun is the more respectful term."

Fred nodded. "Okay, thanks. And I have to admit, this small encounter has me really curious about this place. I hope I can come back again someday too."

Then, as Helblindi continued to stare at him with his red eyes in a way that Fred realized was curiosity, Fred closed his eyes, and thought I need to go where the Ni-Norns need me to go. He repeated this a few times, hoping that not having a destination planned wouldn't get him splinched or worse, killed, and he turned on the spot and disappeared with a loud *Crack!*, leaving Helblindi to wish the strange mortal what the mortals called "luck."

* * *

Loki was not having a good day. The headache that was constantly plaguing him had grown ten times worse as he had escaped the hellicarrier. When he had stabbed the agent that dared to defy him, when he dropped the cage that his brother-no, Thor- had been in, the headache had become nearly unbearable. But when the agent shot him with that gun made from the Destroyer, strangely enough, the headache abated somewhat.  
Now, sitting in the back of one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s quinjets, the headache kept getting bad, then better, and it felt as though someone was playing a game of ping pong in his head.

Yes, playing ping pong had been one of the most annoying things Loki had discovered in his secret travels to Midgard. And the comparison between his headache and the game was rather fitting.

Holding the staff in his hand, he suddenly felt its tug and the interior of the quinjet faded away as the darkness of his lair replaced it.  
Loki turned and fixed the Other with a cold glare.

"What do you want now? Do you not see that I have work to do?"

"Silence! I have disturbing news that I was bidden to tell you. The master has felt a powerful change. Something is coming, and he has ordered that you be on your guard now more than ever. If you fail him, you know the consequences. And whatever is coming apparently has the potential to make you fail."

"Never!" Loki spat. "I have scattered the Avengers before they have had time to properly form. The portal will be opened, and you can send your army through, and nothing can stop them."

"I hope for your sake that is true. After all, you will be the one punished, not I."

With a jerk, the interior of the quinjet came back into focus. Loki was breathing heavily, and the headache, all but gone, had foreign thoughts running through his head.

_Thor, Thanos, the Chitauri-What have I done?_

But the one moment of lucidness disappeared and the old Loki that had been there for one moment was gone, the headache firmly back in place, and a smirk planted on the trickster god's face, his blue eyes shining with malice.

_Whatever is coming, it won't get the better of me._

* * *

Fred gave a slight yelp as he suddenly felt solid ground beneath his feet again. Looking around quickly, he realized that whatever he had done had worked at least somewhat, and he was no longer standing in the middle of a blizzard.

He was standing in a somewhat familiar hallway though. Not quite the same one, but definitely the same style.

Thankfully, no one seemed to be in the immediate area, and Fred quickly ducked into an open room. Unfortunately, said room was actually the top of a staircase, and there was a blond man coming up the stairs.

Not thinking about the fact that this man looked like a walking American flag, well, maybe he thought about it for a little bit, Fred immediately turned around, panic flaring inside of him. He could feel the strange power building up inside him, and that wasn't helping at all.

_NONONONONO-_

"Hey, hey hey!"

Fred froze, worried that if he made the slightest move the foreign magic would lash out and hurt or kill another person.

His back to the blond man, Fred finally croaked out, "Yeah?"

"I don't want to hurt you. What they were doing earlier-I definitely did not condone it. I don't know who you are, or how you've done what you've done, but I am willing to listen to your side of it."

Trying to still his quickly beating heart, Fred slowly turned around.

The blond man, who looked to be maybe twenty-one or twenty-two, was standing on the third step down, his hands held out in front of him in a placating manner.

_He's given me the high ground…_

Fred swallowed. "Okay. I suppose I should talk to someone. I'm kinda confused right now."

The blond man smiled a little. "Good, that's great. Now, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Steve. Steve Rogers."

"I'm Fred Weasley. Why are you dressed up like an American flag?" As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he felt his face color. Seriously, you just asked a question that a two year old might ask.

Steve rolled his eyes, and Fred was immediately worried that he had really screwed up. But after he had muttered something about spangles and…a shark? Steve smiled again. "It's my uniform. I don't know if you've heard of me, but I'm Captain America. Super soldier."

Fred had no idea what the super soldier remark meant. As far as a Captain America...hey, he didn't know much about muggles, much less about American muggles, but to each his own.

"O-okay." He hated the fact that he couldn't seem to stop shaking. But at least he seemed to have the strange power under control.

Steve smiled. "Like I said, I just want to help. You want to go someplace more private to talk? I was on my way to go talk to some friends. We have a bit of a situation at the moment, but we could talk on the way, and as long as you're with me, no one should bother us."

Fred nodded. "I just wanted to warn you-I have this...power, and I'm afraid I might accidentally hurt someone with it. It just...lashes out, and I sometimes have a hard time controlling it. So, as long as there isn't any surprises..." he trailed off, hoping that the man understood him.

Steve nodded, a look of understanding in his eyes. "The people I want to go see, once I explain, they shouldn't cause any problems."

Fred nodded again.

"Okay then. Let's get going, and maybe you can start telling me what the problem is."

Fred swallowed, and started. "I'm supposed to be dead." He ignored the incredulous look sent his way, and kept going. He was afraid that if he stopped, that he wouldn't have the courage to keep going. "I'm a wizard. I can do magic. I went to school for it, in Scotland. And, there was this bad dark wizard, and a war, and I thought I had died. But when I got to where I thought was heaven, I talked to the old headmaster of the school I went to, who died a while back, and he wouldn't give me a straight answer about anything. And then, the Ni-Norns showed up." Fred noticed that Steve had a contemplating look on his face now, as opposed to the slightly shocked bewildered look of a few moments ago. "They said that I had another chance, that I had to do something for them. I had to help someone, who was being misunderstood. They had suffered, and I was going to be able to help. He wouldn't know me, and I could help him...I guess that's my job. They said I was going to be sent to a different reality. I-" Fred's voice cracked for a moment "My family isn't even here. They all think I'm dead. But the Norns gave me a job. And I thought it was something to do with your people, since they sent me here...or wherever it was I showed up at first. As far as the extra power I told you about, I have never been able to do that before. It's like when I was little, and could use accidental magic, where I could just do things because of how I felt. When I went to school, I learned spells and stuff to learn how to control it. But now it's like I'm a little kid again and I can't control it. And it feels so powerful, and I dunno...I killed that man, didn't I?"

* * *

Steve POV

Steve could tell the tall red headed boy-Fred-was nervous. He was rambling, but Steve was actually following it pretty well. Magic? Accidental Magic? A school for it? But when Fred said something about the Norns, it took a moment for him to remember where he had heard that recently. Then it came back to him. When he'd been looking up Norse mythology, after hearing about Thor and Loki, he had come across the name. They were supposed to be like the three Fates in Greek mythology, people who controlled fate or something like that. And if they had given Fred a second chance, a job, and it had something to do with them...

To say that Steve was a little confused was an understatement. These Norns didn't sound terribly helpful in the information department, and he could completely understand why this boy had run the first time. He had no idea where he was, thrust into a _new reality?_ where he didn't have his family, and they thought he was dead?

Steve could relate to that on some level, he supposed.

When Fred asked about the man who died though, he felt an overwhelming pity for the teenager. He sighed. "Yes, unfortunately. I really am sorry for their actions earlier, and from what you said about the power acting up, it's no wonder it got out of your control. But it was obviously an accident."

Fred swallowed, something Steve noticed he seemed to do a lot. "You think that, but what about the others? Will they understand?"

Steve's thoughts went to the conversation he'd heard between Natasha and Loki, and though he didn't know everything, he had an idea that she might be pretty willing to allow for second chances given her own background.

"It might take them a while, and they might be a little wary of you, but I think that if you explained things a little more in detail to them about where you're from, and what has happened since you got here, but the could understand."

"Emphasis on _could." _Fred said.

Truthfully, Steve had a lot of questions still, but he didn't have the time. They were at the room he knew Natasha and Barton were, and he had come down here in the first place to ask one of them if they could fly one of those...quinjets, so they could go hunt Loki down.

Steve wondered just how they would take the reappearance of the red headed boy.

"Here, just stay out here for a moment, while I try to explain here. And then maybe we can have a talk while we're going to Start Tower."

"Where-?" Steve held up his hand.

"Too much to explain, and not enough time. I promise to do it on the ride though."

"Ride?" Fred said, but Steve had already opened the door.

* * *

**And there it is! Again, apologies for the long wait. And now, I pass the reigns over to Crystal! Please review guys!**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Re: Guest: Regarding your question about the timeline, this story follows movie verse. This is set after**_

_**Thank you to all of those who followed and favorited! Have you ever been on the receiving end of one of those? I can tell you that it feels great, that you're being acknowledged. Reviews are ten times better. So don't hesitate!**_

_**To me, reviews feel like, I don't know, like I've got an A plus on a surprise quiz the teacher set. XD**_

* * *

_**Timeline: **_

_**Chapter 1: Before Loki comes through the portal but Fury is thinking on the Avengers idea.**_

_**Chapter 2 &amp; 3: While Fred was on Jotunheim, Loki comes through the portal, mind-wipes Clint, and gets a base. Then the whole issue with the Hulk happens, and Clint gets un-mind-wiped, Coulson's death is faked.**_

_**Chapter 3 &amp; 4: Before the Chitauri invasion, after Coulson's vintage cards are shown to the Avengers.**_

* * *

_Second Chance: Chapter Four_

* * *

Having both Fred and Steve in New York without a guide turned out to be a bad idea. Clint and Natasha have been called out on a sighting of Loki somewhere else shortly after dropping the two of them in New York, and weren't going to return for quite some time. Which left Steve and Fred to fend for themselves in the big, giant mess they call New York.

Fred's eyes squinted as he tried to read all of the billboards that flashed with color and almost gave him a blinding headache. Steve couldn't figure out how to hail a taxi and in the end Fred had tentatively pulled on his magic and summoned a giant party cracker, the one that ejects colorful ribbons, strings and confetti when the tail end is pulled. It did get the attention of a taxi driver, but unfortunately, the paparazzi too.

"Mummy, look, that's Captain America!" A little boy practically shrieked in excitement. Fred jumped as cameras flashed in their direction and microphones were shoved into their faces. Steve managed to ward them off with a trick learned from Pepper, namely repeating 'No comment' the entire time, but they were curious about Captain America's eccentric new partner. Granted, Fred really did look out of place, with the robes, the flaming red hair and most of all, the remnants of the giant party cracker. The taxi driver started to honk his horn, impatient. People screamed and shrieked and nearly gave Steve a heart attack. He'd think that enemies were attacking again with the entire ruckus.

Just another normal day in New York.

"Do you have a cell phone?" Fred roared over the noise. Steve managed to pick it up with his super hearing and handed his phone to Fred, dodging fan girls as he did so.

Fred's eyes narrowed as he focused on a small alleyway not too far from here. He'd done fine with the party cracker…so why not a small try at Apparating? Now that there wasn't a Ministry to monitor him…

Fred nearly rubbed his hands in glee as he turned on the spot before the journalists could spot the look on his face and start speculating. A big crack and he disappeared. The crowd stared before they started laughing. The thing about New York was, you get used to magic performances in the middle of the street, celebrities and cosplayers just about anywhere. After hounding Steve for a while, the reporters gave up and left a couple of reporters to follow Steve in case of a scoop and dissipated.

Fred had underestimated his magic once more. There were a thousand similar alleyways in New York. He didn't know enough about the place. He had yet to learn to control the flow of his magic.

So really, it shouldn't be a surprise that his magic brought him to another alleyway in Merlin knows where.

It was mostly empty, except for a few beggars sleeping, slumped against the wall and drunk. Fred took great care not to wake them, tiptoeing towards the building that loomed at the opening of the alleyway. His feet seemed to move of their own accord.

_Follow your feet._

His feet led him down the alleyway and to a creaky old fire escape. Fred stared at it doubtfully, wondering why Muggles had such a thing hanging on their balconies. Deciding to rely on his magic rather than Muggle-made stuff, he used a Levitating Charm and landed softly on the balcony. To be safe, he cast a Dillusionment Charm upon himself too, feeling the queer sensation of snow being poured down his neck. Under normal circumstances George would be the one sliding the snow down his neck and laughing as Fred shrieked. Not many people knew that the twins loved to hone their prank playing abilities by playing minor pranks on each other on a daily basis.

Just thinking about it made him miss George even more. What would George say if he found Fred in this situation?

His pocket started to vibrate. Fred nearly screamed before remembering the strange device Steve had handed to him. He had overheard Harry when he'd tried to teach dad how to use a telephone, and he'd been the one standing beside Ron and laughing when he called the number Harry gave him on the train. Calming himself down, he pulled out the phone and fumbled with it for a moment before finally seeing that an 'Anthony Stark' was calling.

_Who's that?_ Fred wondered as he managed to press a few buttons that shut the phone up. Taking one tentative step forward, he waited for some trap to swing at him out of nowhere. Using another improvised spell (Movable-Body-Surrounding-Shield-Charm-By-The-Awesome-Weasley) he enveloped himself in a protective invisible bubble and took another step forward.

It turned out to be a wise choice as poisonous green snakes slithered out of nowhere and started to jab at Fred. Fred growled, and with the help of a quick Point-Me Charm, took off running.

* * *

The general of the Chitauri army was not having a good day.

The moment of weakness had passed, but the information about the change bothered him. If Thanos felt it, then it must be important. Thanos never noticed anything beneath his station, unless it was related to his beloved Lady Death. This must be huge.

To top it off, the Avengers were coming together. Loki had done his best, created false sightings here and there, and faked a few distressed calls, but S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't fall for most of them. When they did, only a few agents were sent to check it out. If the false sighting left havoc in its wake then they would send an Avenger or two to check it out, but they never left Loki's main target-New York unguarded. A part of Loki, the one with the blinding headache, _wanted_ S.H.I.E.L.D. to see through the ruse. Another part of the whole mess that bothered him. Loki felt indecisive. And indecisiveness led to inadequate preciseness and swiftness. Inadequate preciseness and swiftness meant possible failure, even if it was only by a ninth of a second, a hair breadth's miss. Loki would not allow that. _Thanos_ would not tolerate that.

And as the icing on the cake, the wards that Loki had set up around the temporary shelter he had taken were triggered. The first ward was passed quickly, since it was nothing more than an illusion to scare normal, wandering people away. Thanos wanted Loki to leave the civilians who posed no threat alive, as many as possible. He would offer the entire planet on a platter to Lady Death, and until then, the more humans available for Lady Death to crunch upon the better.

But this particular intruder, now barging his way through Loki's third and fourth wards, seemed to have no sense of danger.

The second was yet another illusion, a warning. The third and fourth wards, however, were more deadly. Lava and acid would surround the intruder and efficiently melt him to death. The fourth would simply draw all air out of the room from all directions and Loki could watch as the atoms of his body were slowly separated and vaporized. No blood, no evidence. Nothing. A clean and quick kill.

This intruder had a field of energy around him though, a field of energy that rendered all the traps useless. Granted, it was a bit challenged by the fourth, but the intruder had somehow been able to counter Loki's spells and dismantled the fourth. Loki tried to sense the intruder as he ordered every member of his stolen staff to attention and alerted them to the situation, but the field of energy made it hard for Loki's gaze to penetrate into the intruder's magic and find out as much as possible about his skills, his level of magic and most importantly, his identity. The magical signature was unfamiliar too. Unusual, granted that during their youth, Loki and Thor had managed to piss off almost every magic-user in the kingdom at least once.

One more ward left. The last line of defense before the intruder would barge straight into the heart of their operations.

Unlike all other wards, this ward was not intended to harm anyone. It was just a simple barrier, really, one that most sorcerers learned in their youth. But now Loki strengthened it with various spells and seals, and the barrier was impenetrable. Loki could even feed false information to their young intruder through the barrier, by creating an illusion that he'd broken through.

This final ward will not fail him**_._**

* * *

Steve stumbled into Stark Tower, the hordes at his heels. Tony giggled at the image displayed on his security cameras, swirling the glass of Scotch in his right hand. The first thing he did when he took the Iron Man suit out for another test run was to return to his tower for some alcohol. Pepper sighed disapprovingly and took away the glass of grape wine in his left hand. "JARVIS, can you please send the kind Captain up?"

_Gladly, ma'am._

Tony snorted, sloshing Scotch everywhere. "The _kind_ Captain? Whassa he's done, rescued a couple of kittens? No, he just got himself some serum, and tada, everyone's over him. Even my dad. Embodiment of everything good, tch. No one can be that perfect. I'm sure that he will at least have a couple of porn magazines hidden away somewhere."

Pepper gave him a disgusted look as Dummy hurried to mop the mess up but ended up knocking over more glasses of brandy. "Not everyone thinks like you, Tony. Some men can _actually_ be virtuous and gentlemanly, _unlike_ you, Anthony Stark."

"What eva, everyone wants pretty boy Captain America, no one's got time for poor lil ole Tony Stark, do they?" Tony slurred, making his way to his room. "JARVIS, I want you to lock the pretty boy in the elevator."

Pepper rolled her eyes. JARVIS didn't respond.

"JARVIS! Papa is calling~" Tony tipped over and Pepper massaged away a headache.

_Sir, I am programmed not to respond to your drunken calls and pleas, so forgive me if I do not take well to this current version of 'papa'._

"You have done well, my son!" Tony cried, breaking his glass. "Papa is so proud of your snark!"

Pepper wondered what she was thinking when she applied for the position of the CEO of Stark Industries when a rattled and confused Steve walked in, his brow furrowing as he took in the scene before him. "How can you call yourself Howard Stark's son?!" He demanded of Tony, gingerly stepping over the shards of glass on the floor. He might have accelerated healing, but the moment of the wound being inflicted still hurt like normal. He looked at Pepper for help. "Miss Potts, is there any way I can help…?"

Pepper cast a look at Tony that said, '_Watch and learn, Tony. This is a gentleman._', before smiling warmly and inviting him to take a seat, that Dummy would clear the mess up in no time. "Dummy is Tony's invention." She informed him coolly, reminding Steve that Tony had his moments too. Teaching Tony to be a gentleman like Steve while keeping his self –esteem afloat was another headache-inducing job Pepper had somehow got herself into. Too bad that her conscience would not allow her to just drag Tony's over inflated ego down another notch or so. On his worst nights, Pepper would discover that it was all just a farce he put on, and deep down he's still a lost child who no one actually approves off.

Then Pepper would comfort him, whisper into his ear that he should really stop drinking and would he mind not smashing glasses everywhere? And finally tell him that she loved him.

Tony would sob for a while before quieting down and waking up the next day with no memory of the incident. Or so he claimed. Every time that happened Pepper would find a box of chocolates and some flowers on her office's desk.

Tony stumbled to his feet, puncturing his brand new shoes with glass. He wagged an accusing finger at Captain America. "Now, listen, _Capsicle_, I'm nothing like my father. I, for one, doesn't have any children to neglect. I suppose that _perfect_ Mr. America, _wonderful_ Captain Steve Rogers with oh so _loyal_ friends wouldn't know!"

The corners of Steve's mouth turned downwards. "Tony, I don't know what you're going on about-"

"Oh, of course you don't!" Saliva dribbled down Tony's mouth as he turned around dramatically. "Innocent Captain America can't help that he has such amazing qualities that his friends are willing to spend most of their resources and lives and family ties to find him again!"

"Tony." Pepper said quietly, a warning tone evident in her voice.

Tony promptly fell onto the table and started snoring. Pepper sighed. "JARVIS, can you get a couple of bots up here to haul Tony back to his room? And please send some aspirins up with the bots."

_Gladly, Miss Potts. _

Steve was a bit weirded out by the voice in the ceiling but really, everything in the twenty first century weirded him out. "Uh…Can you help me with something, Miss Potts?" He asked. Steve still wasn't sure what the etiquette for meeting a new girl was now, but he decided to just do it his way and bowed a little before looking at her hopefully.

Pepper couldn't resist giving him a smile. Men like this always looked so adorable. "What is the nature of the help you require?" Pepper changed her speech to a more twentieth century pattern.

"Well…have you heard about the boy who mur-accidentally killed a SHIELD agent named George and then mysteriously disappeared from SHIELD headquarters?" Steve asked. Pepper nodded in confirmation. She had been beside Tony when he hacked into those files, so it could be said that she possibly knew even more than Steve did, and personally, while she agreed with SHIELD that they needed to keep up constant vigilance, treating a sudden newcomer like that was unacceptable. Heck, that newcomer might even think that _they _were the bad guys.

"Well, the thing is, he mysteriously appeared a room on the helicarrier, out of nowhere. Clint helped me get Fred off the helicarrier and to my apartment, with some help from Agent Romanoff, since they both felt that there was more to the kid than we thought. Maybe some post-possession insight, but anyway, I was going to bring him here, to Tony, whom at least supported me when I spoke in favor of the boy against Director Fury. But…"

"But?" Pepper prompted, noting that there was no boy with Steve. The two of them must have gotten lost and separated in the chaos of New York, then.

"But…we got surrounded by the reporters and Fred got lost in the throng." Steve admitted sheepishly. "I was wondering…could you help me find out where he went?"

Pepper frowned thoughtfully. "Where did you get separated? Was he carrying a phone or a laptop?"

Steve brightened up. "Phone! I lent him my phone just before we got swept apart!"

"Well, then this should be easy then. I'll give him a call and tell him where to go." Pepper grabbed the nearest phone that had Steve's phone number stored within its memory and quickly dialed Steve's phone number.

The phone rang once, twice, then got hung up on the other end.

Pepper frowned, and tried again.

_The number you have dialed is currently unavailable. Please try again later._

A thought suddenly occurred to Pepper. She remembered that in the photos, the boy was wearing outdated robes. "Captain Rogers. Does he know how to use a hand phone?"

"Well, he seemed to know what it was." Steve groaned lightly. "So what do we do then?"

Pepper considered her options as JARVIS coolly informed her that Tony was now safely in his bed and knocked out for another six hours. She thanked JARVIS and laid out the circumstances and paths they could choose for Steve.

"SHIELD is going to use their connections to have the boy's face over the news in no time as a mass murderer or terrorist. That rules out our contacting the authorities or calling a press conference. We don't have the manpower to conduct a search over New York, regardless of whether it's conducted in secret or in the open. That rules out searching for him manually. So we have two options left. Either we wait for him to turn up, or we conduct a digital search."

"How do you conduct a…di-gi-tal search?"

"Well, we just need any electronic device and Wi-Fi access. Wi-Fi isn't really mandatory, but it would take more time to hack into the satellites. Then we need Tony. He can hack into the few million cameras, iPhones, Starkpads, anything that can take a photo or video. Then we need a photo of…Fred, you call him? Then we can run a scan on that photo and see which video matches that description."

Steve only understood about twenty percent of what Pepper said. "So we need Tony and a photo?"

"Basically, yes. JARVIS, prepare some coffee for Tony and wake him up. Mr. Rogers, do you have a photo of Fred anywhere? I think Tony left it in the backseat of a taxi or something…" Pepper scowled at Tony's carelessness.

Steve shook his head. "SHIELD didn't let us bring any files home. Did you just say Tony _left his photo_ which he shouldn't even have had in the first place in a cab?"

Pepper half-grimaced, half-smiled. "That's Tony for you. So where can we get a photo? We might be able to hack into the SHIELD database again…"

Steve looked around the room. "Do you have a drawing pad and some color pencils?"


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: And here is chapter five! And I actually got it up soon! As in, a little longer than a week or so instead of a few months or so. :-) Thanks all for being patient. Juggling fanfiction with college and work is interesting. If I had my wish, I would be writing on this all the time!**

**Thanks all for reviews, etc!**

**This chapter is a belated birthday present for Guest reviewer Elizabeth. I just now read your review and am sorry I didn't get this out sooner! Happy belated birthday, and thanks for the review!**

**Disclaimer: See chapter one**

Chapter Five

* * *

Nick Fury might have only had one eye, but Agent Maria Hill thought he glared enough for two.

There weren't many people currently on the bridge of the helicarrier, but those that were there made it a point to avoid standing near the Director for fear of bringing his wrath down on them.

Sighing, Maria walked over to the imposing man and stood a respectful distance off with her hands clasped behind her back. "Sir?" She asked. "Is there something wrong?"

"Watch this, and you tell me."

Maria raised an eyebrow, but obediently stepped forward to better see the monitor that he'd been looking at. The Director pushed a button, sending whatever video it was he'd been watching back to the beginning, and it started over. At first, Maria didn't notice anything but an empty hallway. But suddenly, as if from nowhere, snap! A person literally popped into the hallway.

Both eyebrows now up, Maria asked,"Why did we not know about this?"

As they both watched the red headed boy duck through a door and come face to face with Captain America, Fury said,"What, with all the damage done to this thing after Loki was here? Half the cameras were out, and as you can see, there's no sound here either."

Maria had noticed that. She continued watching, greatly wishing she could hear whatever was being said. She knew Steve's opinion on how they had treated the boy, and seeing them now, it would appear that he was trying to go for placating. Sure enough, the red headed boy relaxed, and Steve and he walked back out into the hallway, and made their way toward the sleeping quarters area of the hellicarrier.

Again, she really wished she could hear what was going on as Steve and "George" stopped outside one of the rooms-Maria had a good idea who's-and after Steve said something quickly to the boy, he opened the door.

The reaction was instantaneous. Over by the bed, Natasha Romonov turned to see who was there, and upon seeing "George" behind Steve, she immediately went into battle mode and pulled her two pistols out, aiming them at the boy.

"George" tensed, and shrank back up against the door that had automatically closed behind them. Maria found it curious that he seemed to be struggling with something, as his jaw clenched, his eyes squeezed shut, and his fists balled up.

Steve was holding his hands up, once again placating. Natasha was looking warily at "George", her stance not relaxing, but her expression clearing somewhat. "George" finally seemed to have whatever was wrong under control, and said something, prompting a surprised look to come across Natasha's face. At that moment, the door to the bathroom opened, and Clint peeked his head out. His own face broke into a surprised expression, his hands frozen in the act of drying his hands off. He looked at everyone, an eyebrow raised, and then when no one said anything, he turned to "George" and said something that Maria was pretty sure was "Hi, I'm Clint."

Resisting the urge of roll her eyes, they finished watching as Natasha finally lowered her guns, trusting the instincts of her longtime partner Clint. Fast forwarding through more footage revealed that when Clint had been cleared for duty, he and Natasha had been sent out to scout around for any sign of Loki. Maria remembered that Steve had requested being brought back to his apartment, and Clint had offered to fly them near to it.

Now she knew that Steve hadn't been the only one who had left.

Fury rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I want a team of agents sent to Rogers's apartment, and I want this boy brought back in for questioning. I don't care how you do it, but I want him! And contact Agents Romonov and Barton as well as Rogers and get them here too. If they resist, use force."

Maria gave a curt "yes sir", and walked away.

She knew Clint and Natasha, and really liked what she had seen of Steve Rogers. If they were willing to break the rules for this boy, was it right to bring them in?

Maria shook her head. She had never disobeyed orders. What in the world had gotten into her?

* * *

Fred didn't know what had gotten into him. He had apparated with no particular place in mind, he had used a point me spell without know what he wanted to be pointing at, and now he was fighting his way through a warded apartment without any idea who was in said apartment. But now that he had started, he figured he might as well keep going. After all, the Ni-Norns had said that there weren't very many magic users around, and he was curious as to who had put up so many wards here.

And it was kinda fun seeing how far he could get with his newfound powers. He was pretty sure that before his "death" there was no way he would have been able to make it through all the magical protection around this place, and Fred was happy to be using his power for something different than hurting or killing someone.

Fred gritted his teeth and tried to banish that thought from his mind. Unfortunately, it didn't really work.

After making his way through a number of really impressive and creative defenses, Fred was surprised when he found himself up against what seemed to be an invisible wall.

Some type of shield...

Fred furrowed his brow, but couldn't seem to make his way any further than he had. So instead, he decided to look around the room and see where he had brought himself. He'd been so busy fighting his way into the place, he hadn't bothered to really look.

It was dark. From what he could see from the sparse light sifting in through the cracks in the shades over the single window in the room, it was really dusty. In fact, Fred felt like sneezing.

"Achooo!"

"Oh dear. I do believe this is where I say 'bless you.'"

Fred snapped his gaze around, and it landed on the dark silhouette in the farthest corner from the window. It appeared to be a man, and he was sitting in an armchair with his legs crossed. The only thing distinguishable about the man that Fred could tell in the dark, was the unnatural eerie glow of his blue eyes. It mad him think of a cat almost, but Fred thought cats had green eyes...

After staring for a moment, Fred remembered himself, and said, "Oh, sorry. Excuse me! It's a mite bit dusty in here. You might want to have the housekeeping staff clean up a bit. By the way, impressive wards. I'll have to ask you how you did some of them, cause I could see myself tweaking a few to make some really cool pranks."

There was silence from the chair.

"Oh, pardon me, where are my manners. My names Fred. Fred Weasley. What might I call you?"

A dark laugh echoed around the room-Fred was surprised at both the darkness and the echo in it-and then the figure spoke.

"I am Loki. And I am very glad you came by for a visit."

* * *

Pepper watched in amazement as Steve deftly drew the likeness of the boy Fred. She smiled as he seemed to capture a mischivious look on the freckled face. Steve had told her he was a red head, and she felt as though she knew him just by imaging the colors that went with the sketch.

"What's with his clothes?" She asked. Fred was adorned in rather interesting robes. Not like the kind you would wear around the house before bed, but it had an older style of dress feel to it.

"I actually didn't ask him about that. I knew it wasn't exactly the style nowadays, and I just chalked it up to something magic users like him wore where he came from. I mean, look at the getup that Loki was wearing. And Thor. What Fred's wearing is a bit tame compared to that."

Pepper hummed. "All the same, he does stick out a bit. And you said that S.H.I.E.L.D. is looking for him. So I'll just see if I can't find him a decent non-conspicuous outfit. And then I'll see if Tony is a little more sober so I can get him to put your picture into the system."

Steve nodded his thanks, and Pepper started to walk away. However, she had barely gone two steps before an obnoxious noise came from the cell phone in her pocket. Steve jumped a bit and looked at her with a questioning look. Pepper rolled her eyes, and said "Tony's been messing with my phone again," by way of explanation. She finally rooted the cell out of her jeans pocket, and her eyes widened as she recognized the picture that had popped up. Quickly pushing the talk button, she put the phone to her ear and said,"Pepper here."

"Pepper. I'm sorry to bother you, but I have a problem you might be able to help me with."

Pepper sighed, not sure how she should feel about the woman on the other end of the line. "What can I do for you Natalie."

If Natasha heard the sarcasm with the dig, she didn't acknowledge it. "My partner and I are in trouble with S.H.I.E.L.D. I'm assuming you've spoken to Steve Rogers, and I was hoping you might tell him that he's not on their good list either."

"Does this have to do with Fred?" Pepper figured it was a stupid question, but she asked anyways.

"Yes. Is he there with you?"

"Um..." Pepper bit her lip, looking to Steve who was watching her.

"Fred?" He asked. Pepper nodded. "Are you talking to Ms. Romonov?" Pepper nodded again. "Can I talk to her?"

"Please do." Pepper gladly relinquished her hold on the phone. She watched nervously as Steve exchanged words with Natasha, and when he hung up and handed the phone back to her, she fixed him with her own questioning look.

"They're coming here. And they have Banner and Thor with them."

Pepper nodded absentmindedly. She supposed she would get the details of how they came across the Hulk and the thunder god later-all Tony had told her was that they had gone MIA after the attack on the hellicarrier-which Pepper would deny any knowledge of later. But now, with a huge need to feel useful, she took the proffered drawing of Fred from Steve, and taking a few steps backward, she said, "I'm just gonna go, see, you know, if Tony can put this into the system."

Little did they know, a mere five blocks away, Fred sat Indian style on the floor just outside of the magical barrier, wondering if he had gotten himself into more than he could handle.

Meanwhile, the Norns looked on, watching in anticipation and hope. Hope that they were right about Fred and that he really could change the course of destiny here. It was all up to the wild card.

* * *

**And I once again hand the reigns to Crystal di Angelo.**

**Please review guys!**


	6. Chapter 6

_**Welcome back to another chapter of Second Chance!**_

_**Thanks are offered to:**_

_**Elaine Weasley, co author and email pal. I keep checking my emails just for your messages.**_

_**Foxchick1, who pointed out that the format of the original chapter was wrong and prevented me from embarrassing myself further.**_

_**Fujimoto Shiro, who isn't even real but he taught me many things all the same.**_

_**Just felt like doing that XD**_

* * *

_Second Chance: Chapter Six_

* * *

"Nothing! No one detected _anything_! We didn't even know that something was wrong until a technician rebooted the cameras and they happened to be looping! A sudden appearance should at least warrant something on our radars, crazy Norse god or not, and what are you doing? Shrieking your heads off like little girls instead of focusing on the screens! George could have killed you all by now and you wouldn't even know what happened! If Captain America had not noticed George and removed him from the helicarrier through means of persuasion we might all already be _dead_! DO YOU WANT THAT?" Nick Fury was berating his crew of technicians and agents for their momentary lapse in concentration. Granted, he knew that when the ship was kinda exploding while _in the middle of the air_ you tended to leave the computers and run for a parachute, but still, if he let this go unpunished there would be a second time, and a third time. _Someone_ had to play the bad cop.

No one answered him. Everyone was cringing as Fury swished his way through them with his black coat, continuing his rant. "However, the boy looks dangerous, and it seems that he might have converted the Captain, Agent Barton and Agent Romanoff. We need to be on full alert if we establish contact with any of them and _do not let down your guard_ until HQ says that it is safe to do so and that they are trustworthy. Clear?"

Everyone had been trading whispers when Barton's name was mentioned.

"He could be faking."

"Barton? Not again…"

"Mind control freaks _again_?!"

When Fury glared at them as he asked his final question, they immediately shut up and replied clearly, "Yes, Director!"

"Good." Fury left. He'd just remembered something.

Doctor Banner and Thor had been on good terms with Clint and Natasha. If his memory served him right, the duo should be in the lab right now, with the doctor explaining the most basic sciences to the god of thunder. He wrested a screen from a nearby technician who looked scared out of his skin by the close contact with the stoic director. Fury checked the docking bay.

Clint and Natasha were just taking off. According to the heat scans, there were four people inside that shuttle.

"Damn those motherfuckers!" Fury roared.

Three shuttles were dispatched immediately, one to distract them, a second to tail them, and a third to attack them and take them by force if necessary._**  
**_

* * *

Tony sipped coffee from his Iron Man sippy cup, staring at the numerous screens as data and pictures and video fragments flashed past. He was in his striped pajamas, the most decent pair he had which was forced upon him by the scariest woman in the world-Pepper Potts.

"You need to look at least half-decent when there are guests." Pepper had said, trying to get him into a suit. Tony'd refused, naturally. Which insane person on Earth wore a suit when he had a major hangover?

Pepper had tried for a compromise. "You can't stay in those…teddy bear pajamas either. How about a shirt and simple jeans?"

At which Tony had just looked at her disbelievingly. "Those are _normal_ clothes. I'm not normal. I'm a genius. And a billionaire."

Pepper finally threw up her hands in frustration when her phone rang. "Fine! Just get yourself in some decent pajamas! And for the record, I'm not talking to you until you get yourself in a proper business suit!"

Tony gazed after her, puzzled. Women do throw tantrums over the strangest things.

"Is this him? There's a ninety five percent match." Tony pulled up an image of a boy walking around in London. "The highest match we've got so far."

Steve's brow furrowed. "It looks like him…but no. That's not him. Maybe his twin or something, but not him. Their style of walking is different. Fred walks more slowly and keeps his right hand near his left sleeve, where I presume a weapon is hidden, while this one just skips along and...he's just _lighter_."

"Okay, thanks for the in-depth personality analysis. Moving on." Tony pulled up another face, captured for just a few seconds by a camera positioned directly opposite an alley. It was all Tony could do to upgrade the quality of the video and enlarge the face and brighten up the picture. "Is that him? Ninety percent match."

Steve stared at the screen. Same outfit, same rumpled hairstyle, same face, same personality.

"That's him." Steve confirmed. "Check the address."

Tony checked.

"Honestly?! That's just five blocks from here!"

Meanwhile, Pepper Potts was desperately trying to calm the Norse god of thunder down, who was currently sitting in the sitting room, along with a slightly green Doctor Banner. Natasha and Clint were stressed, trying to distract the shuttle that trailed them with what's left of their own shuttle.

Life with Tony Stark was never uninteresting.

Oh, and did she mention that a few builders and decorators were going to make big money off the now destroyed room?

* * *

Maria Hill hurried down the hall. Within the securely monitored channel feeds coming in and out of the helicarrier, there was no way in hell that she would be able to contact Clint and Natasha. However, she _had_ to do something. No one just stood idly by while innocents were persecuted and murdered.

She went straight to her personal quarters, where there was a laptop that Fury _might_ not have discovered yet. She opened it and went on Yahoo. Surely Fury wouldn't expect for her to use such a common and unsecure website.

One quick email later, Agent Hill felt that she had done what could be done in her position.

_Dear Virginia,_

_Sorry to call on you like that, especially when all of my calls to you usually mean trouble. If, by any chance, you see Natalia or Legolas, or the red-headed boy that I know Big-Headed Child stole a photo of, please tell them that I am on their side. I will try to make things easier for them here, but no promises, since we need our resources to help take down Major Egomaniac. Honestly, Big –headed Child is being so childish. I hope that I could go back to see you in your neighborhood soon. School is going okay here, though I spot a few bullies. I hope they don't target me. _

_Love, Maria._

_**Line break**_

Fred stared at Loki. Loki stared back.

Then Fred burst out laughing.

"I do not understand the joke." Loki stated coldly, trying to bring the atmosphere back to where it once was-strange, cold, freezing, and terrifying. At least that way he could frighten the enemy with mere silence. But no, this strange creature had to find some kind of humor in the situation and defy one of Loki's mind games. Could he be what Thanos had warned Loki of…?

Then he took in the boy's rumpled appearance and decided that what Thanos would deem important enough to warn Loki of would at least look more interesting.

"I didn't expect you to." Fred gasped, tears falling from his eyes in mirth. "Though honestly, I'll just tell you and consider it my good deed of the day. Your clothes…those aren't even in fashion anymore! What I'm wearing might be outdated to the Muggles, but yours…that's just priceless. They're like, Middle Ages! At least I can pass off as nineteenth century, but you are just…oh my gosh you can't even pass yourself off as normal with _my_ kind!"

_Annoying,_ Loki thought, _But talkative. _

"_Your_ kind? You make it sound like you don't blend in well either. Do they all have a horrible fashion sense like you do?"

Fred snorted. "You mean my robes? They're naturally shabby anyway, my family wasn't exactly the richest. Though I was doing quite well with my brother before You-Know-Who came along and destroyed half of Hogwarts, so of course we couldn't just stand by."

_You-Know-Who. Hogwarts. Poor family. Brother, possibly more. _Loki filed away the info, keeping his face passive. He chose his next words carefully, so that he wouldn't remind this boy of the situation he was in and pry more information without him noticing. "Really. You seem to get along quite well with your brother. I have one myself, and we aren't exactly on the best of terms now."

Fred shrugged. "We're twins, and we prank people together. The only things we fight about are which prank would be better, turning people into canaries magically, or sealing the Slytherin common room with some kind of charm so that they couldn't get in. We never found out where those snakes' common room was though, we only knew that they were in the dungeons."

_Twin brother. Magic. Slytherins Dungeons. Love of pranks._ Loki might have been their patron god if he wasn't busy at the moment with destroying the world and what not.

Fred babbled on nervously. In truth, now that he was here, he didn't have a specific plan, just 'keep talking and alive'. Plus, maybe in giving away information, he could receive some himself. "What are you using for your boots? Is that _dragon hide?_ No way, that's expensive! Well, at least it is over in my world, it might be totally worthless here-if it is, could you give me some so that I get to make a fortune when I get back to my world?"

"…dragons are still uncommon on Midgard, but if you travel to Muspelheim, you might find one dragon too many for your taste. And yes, my boots are dragon hide." Loki sighed inwardly at the human's ignorance. He'd expected a vast knowledge of the Nine Realms from this 'formidable foe' Thanos had talked about.

_Maybe Thanos doesn't know as much as he thinks._ The thought crossed Loki's head a nanosecond before he thought another more rebellious one. _Maybe Thanos' ideals are all wrong._

That was instantly rectified by a bolt of pain shooting through his skull, though it couldn't prevent Loki from seeing himself letting go of Gungnir as he fell down…down…down…

Another image instantly replaced it, one of Thor flinging Loki down as Loki pleaded and begged for mercy, but this time Loki could see blue flickering at the ages of his vision, and Loki somehow, through all the pain and confusion, managed to muster barely enough magic to teleport himself away to somewhere more private.

Or, at least, most of himself.

Fred looked bemused as the dragon hide boots clattered to the floor. "Finders keepers." He said aloud, doing a non-verbal spell just to show off in case he was watching and 'Accio-ed' the boots to his hands and examined them from every angle.

Yup, genuine dragon hide.

So since he had nothing else to do and nowhere else to go, he'd better sit down and start sorting through the information he had. He'd finished the list when-

Wait.

Nowhere else to go?

Hadn't that blond dude mentioned something about meeting his friends?

Fred's pocket buzzed. That got Fred startled for a minute until he remembered the cell Steve had lent him.

Damn. It looked like he'd run off with his phone. Fred quickly took it out and fumbled with the buttons for another few seconds before someone finally started talking on the other line.

"Steve?" It was a woman. Fred remained silent, wondering whether he should talk. Steve might have recently met this girl or something, and Fred didn't want to ruin his sort-of friend's love life before it even started. The woman continued talking anyway. "Listen, I don't know whether you're in a position to receive phone calls, but I'm just going to leave a message anyway. With luck, and if Tony is in a good mood, he can help you replay this phone call. This is Martha Haverson speaking, and I am currently on a ship in the sky. Like in Detective Conan. This is so amazing! You can see every cloud from here! One cloud looks like a man in an eyepatch looking furious though. Go on, laugh, you know how my imagination is. He reminds me of Mr. Nicholas, remember how he gave an entire speech to the class for missing one little thing in their homework? Well, at any rate, things are a bit fired up here. Though call if there are any problems on your side! That's all for now. Bye!"

Fred stared at the phone, the voice emanating from it suddenly chirpy and high school like before it was hung up. He tried to memorize most of it for Steve later, and made a note to meet this 'Tony' and 'Martha Haverson'."

Then everything around him turned into blackness, and Fred could feel ice creeping over the floor, almost freezing him in place if he hadn't muttered a quick 'Lumos' and danced out of its way before half yelling 'Incendio' to get a fire going.

Before him stood a figure clothed in green and black. Fred almost didn't recognize him, given that he was blue and looking crazier than when Fred had last seen him. What gave him away were the bare feet though.

"…I think I may have forcefully taken ownership of your shoes. Sorry?" Fred grinned sheepishly at the now Jotunn Loki.

* * *

_The Awesome Weasley's Information Database so far:_

_Strange green (occasionally blue) cat guy might be Nines' target. Reasons:_

_Magic user_

_I followed my feet like they told me to and they led me to him._

_Probably greatly misunderstood_

_Looks like he's been through hell and back (aka put through things he didn't have to go through, looks like the Nines know how to measure stuff after all)_

_My awesome sixth sense tells me so._

_The Nines apparently stupidly gave me some additional strange power. Honestly, do they think that my former level of magic was not sufficient? Honestly, women, you wound me._

_Note to self: FIND OUT WHAT MIDGARD IS! Two blue guys have said that word already!_

_Another note to self: Find out what these something-heim something-heim something-gard stuff is! Honestly, even my supreme self confidence is going to crumble to bits if I keep not understanding what they're talking about!_

_Third note to self: NORNS, not NINES. Geez, Fred, get your words straight._

_All Father. Jotun. Helblindi. Other planets like in Astronomy and Divination. I so wish I can tell Professor Sinistra and Trewalney about all of these._

_Captain America, super soldier, super friendly too. He sounds like some hero out of a comic book…_

_Wait. I'm supposed to be at some tower called Stark Tower with him, right? Shit…_


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey guys! First off, many apologies for getting this out to you so late. I have been super busy with college, and I may have actually forgotten about this for a bit…And it didn't really help that Crystal left it at such a hard spot. How exactly do you continue after **_**that**_** cliffhanger? But when Crystal told me that someone thought we had discontinued it, I figured that was my cue to get typing. **

**Many thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites. Crystal keeps sending me lists of them all, but I was still scraping my jaw off the ground upon seeing just how many there really were when I clicked on the story last night. You guys (and gals) are awesome!**

* * *

Steve heaved a sigh and rubbed his temples. Why was everything such a rush? He hadn't had a decent night's sleep in three days, and spending time around Tony wasn't helping the migraine he felt coming.

"Seriously? He's only five blocks from here?"

Steve, who had bent down to grab the shield leaning up against the coffee table leg, looked over at Pepper, who was staring at Tony. Said billionaire was reclining in his chair in front of his computer.

"Yep!" Tony said, looking very much like a little boy in his pajamas with a goofy grin plastered on his face. Thank goodness his sippy cup had been replaced by a real coffee cup though…

"Oh, and I've had J.A.R.V.I.S. scanning that area for the last few minutes, and he's picked up a lot of interesting readings from there. A bunch of them are like the ones from Germany, when Loki was using magic. You may want to hurry and figure out what's going on."

Steve nodded, not terribly pleased with taking orders from the still hung-over man.

"Need any help Cap?"

Steve turned and saw Natasha and Clint standing at the ready, having not taken any of their gear off upon arriving at the tower.

Steve smiled, glad that _someone _was being a nice. Well, not that Pepper wasn't nice, but Tony…he really knew how to get on your nerves.

Thor stomped over, looking a little irritable from his fall from the helicarrier, and still sporting a few grass stains. Pepper had offered the use of one of the many bathrooms in the tower, but Steve was unsure if the guy even knew how to use one.

Maybe he wasn't the only one who was hopeless when it came to this advanced and different world

"Does this have anything to do with Loki?" Thor asked. "Because I would have words with him."

Steve exchanged a wary glance with the two spies. The look on Thor's face was…well, thunderous.

Natasha turned to Thor. "You may want to just hang out here for a bit. Until we know a little more, it may not be the best idea to be running into a situation that we aren't even sure about. We're going in, getting this kid, and then getting right back out. Loki may be there, but until we can figure things out, just stay here."

The god of thunder didn't look at all pleased, but when Pepper walked over and laid a hand on one of his arms, the tension seemed to drain a little from him.

"I will abide by your wishes, but I am not pleased with them."

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Clint asked.

"Be careful, and not just of Loki and whoever he may be working with. I got an email from Maria Hill, and she says that she's on our side, but there are others, probably Fury, who are pretty mad."

"Well, Fury is furious. What else is new?"

Pepper smacked Tony upside the head.

* * *

Fred blinked in surprise at Loki, who was now sporting blue skin. "Hey, I didn't know your kind could do that."

The furious Jotun froze, (pun totally intended) and his unnatural blue eyes fixed on Fred the question clear in them.

"How do you know of my kind, when you obviously are ignorant of such places like Muspelheim? It is hard to know of one, and not the other." Loki advanced a few steps. "Speak quickly!"

Fred swallowed his sudden nervousness. This guy seemed really scary all of a sudden. "I um, well, may have accidently apparated myself to um…wherever your kind come from? I think it was, Jotunheim? And I talked to um…Hel-something or other." Fred was proud of himself for at least remembering the name of the place, it not the person he'd talked to.

"Apparated?" Loki asked.

"It's like teleporting," Fred answered, wondering just how powerful this barrier between him and Loki was, since he was obviously able to accio the others boots to himself. He was hoping that it might provide a little bit of protection if it came to blows.

Yeah. Maybe taking the boots hadn't been his brightest idea…

"That's impossible. I am one of the most powerful magicians alive, and even then, you have to be able to find a spot between the worlds to get from one to another. Teleporting is impossible." It took Fred a moment to remember what they had been talking about.

The angry Jotun continued. "And talking to Helblindi? The king of the frost giants? That is a laugh."

Throughout Loki's speech, he was gradually turning his original pale color. (Or was the blue his original color?) Fred hoped that that meant he was calming down, and maybe wouldn't attack him like it'd seemed he would do.

"You may have answered my question, but I'm curious…how were you not revolted by my appearance? I'm a monster. The thing children fear at night. Aren't you even revolted a little?"

There was something off about Loki, but Fred couldn't think of what it was. Something to do with his Jotun appearance that was different from the hell guy.

Fred jumped a little. Loki had walked closer to him, and his eyes were narrowed into slits. When he spoke, his voice seemed calm, but you could hear the storm that seemed to be raging just behind said calm. And as he spoke, he held up his hand, which turned blue again, and very much to Fred's surprise, a spike of ice formed around the hand like a mace.

(Maces weren't really that fun. Fred had had an interesting experience with one that involved moving suits of amour, Peeves, and Filch's cat. It hadn't been pretty.)

But, getting back on track.

"Honestly? I think it's kinda neat. I mean, George and I once enchanted snowballs to attack You-Know-Who back when he was on the back of Professor Quirrel's head." Fred chuckled at that memory. At the time, they'd been silly thirteen year olds, just playing a prank on a professor. But after it had been revealed who had been under that turban, the twins had been both freaked out and ecstatic.

They'd thrown snowballs at Voldemort's face.

But, he was getting off track yet again.

Shaking off the pained feeling that came with thinking of his twin, he continued. "Being an ice person is cool, literally." Fred grinned at his own joke. "There are a lot of things that cold can be beneficial for. Like, not making weapons?"

Loki had been staring at him like _he_ was the creature from another planet. And something seemed to be softening in his eyes as he listened to Fred rant.

And as Fred said his last sentence, he had the now familiar feeling of powerful magic running through him, but this time, it was like sunshine on a cold day, and he lifted his hand and waved it at the ice mace over Loki's hand. With just the one wave, the ice seemed to turn to dust, and it reformed into a delicate butterfly.

Both of them stared.

"Uh…didn't know I could do that…it's so girly…" Fred said, rubbing the back of his neck as the butterfly took flight around Loki's head and then burst in a shower of snowflakes.

Loki turned wide eyes that had been following the ice butterfly, back to Fred. "Who are you?"

And that's when Fred realized that there was really something weird going on here. (As if this whole thing wasn't weird enough…) But then Loki's ice blue eyes were suddenly green.

And it clicked-what had been bothering him. He'd have to check later, but the hell guy…his eyes had been blood red. He'd only seen two Jotuns now, but that eerie blue was just…off.

For some reason, it made him thing of the Imperious curse.

Loki's had stayed blue when he'd turned Jotun. And now they were green.

And then they weren't. Loki groaned, clutching his head in pain, and then his hand was shooting out, and a spell was hurtled at Fred.

Steve, Natasha and Clint had run into trouble. As soon as they got to the apartment where Fred had last been spotted, they tried to see what they were going into.

But they _couldn't_ see what they were going into.

Not when there was a bunch of green snakes slithering around the boarders of the place.

"Any idea what to do about this?" Steve asked.

Natasha and Clint had backed away from the snakes that seemed to be intent on just circling around the base of the apartment building.

"Hey man, just cause Loki did some mojo on me doesn't mean that I know how to get past a bunch of weird magical snakes."

Their problem seemed easily solved a few moments later, when the object of their search came hurtling out a window, glass flying everywhere.

"Fred!" Steve yelled as the redhead landed hard in the alleyway between the buildings.

Said redhead sat up groggily and blinked at the trio. "Oh, uh hey Steve!"

"What happened?" Clint asked.

"I may have stolen a god's boots."

Everyone stared at him in disbelief.

"What?" Fred asked.

Turning back to the window that Fred had been hurtled out, the two spies and the captain readied themselves for a fight.

But there was no one there.

* * *

Maria Hill felt like face palming as the report came in.

"Sir, agents Black Widow and Hawkeye as well as Captain America have been spotted a few blocks from Stark Tower."

Fury turned to the man who had spoken. "Do we have any sort of footage?"

"Pulling up any camera's from the vicinity."

Maria held her breath as a grainy image was shown on the main screen in front of Fury. Sure enough, there was no mistake. They weren't even _trying_ to be covert. I mean, Steve was out in his full Captain America getup. What was _with_ that?

"Send out a team. I don't want them getting back to Stark's tower. If they resist, use force."

Maria felt her objection begging to be voiced, but she choked it down.

The idiots. Why couldn't anyone listen nowadays?

"Sir!" The man called again. "You may want to see this."

Fury and Maria turned back to the screen. It now showed the trio outside an apartment building, and then suddenly one of the windows blew out.

And the red head that seemed to have started this whole mess lay sprawled in the street.

Now, Maria really DID face palm.

Fury growled.

"Dispatch more than one team. I want to know what the hell is going on, and who the hell this guy is. Do _not _underestimate him."

Maria was close to biting her nails.

What on earth could she do now?

* * *

_Fred Weasley's Not-so-awesome list of things to do_

_Take a god's boots._

_Make a butterfly out of ice. (Really? George would never let him live something like that down…)_

_Get thrown out a window._

_Have a stare down with a guy who has creepy eyes._

_Fill in the blanks._

* * *

**Thanks all for reading and being patient. Please leave a review and let me know what you think!**

**And now I pass it on to Crystal…**


	8. Chapter 8

_Second Chance Chapter Eight_

* * *

"Look, Agent Hill. If you have an opinion, express it. Don't open and close your mouth and keep blinking all the time as if you think that I wouldn't notice." Fury snapped, keeping his eyes on the monitor screens. Correction: eye. An agent specifically trained for relaying information was reporting their journey's progress steadily and clearly.

Maria bit her lip. "Sir, I think you should give the boy a chance to explain himself." She blurted out. After all, Fury wasn't the Director of SHIELD for nothing. He could read people as easily as an open book, ignorant citizens and well trained spies alike. Keeping it hidden longer could only serve to warrant more severe circumstances. And if Fury already suspected her, there was no way he'd let her have access to classified information, and that would mean that she wouldn't be able to help the others anyway. Best to just own up now and try to change the big boss's mind.

"…_We are currently skimming the waters. New York skyline within sight."_

Maria wasn't unaware of the risks, however. She was heading into uncharted territory, and her eyes flickered about, trying her best to seem cool, calm and collected while searching for an escape route. Not that there was anywhere she could go, with the Helicarrier floating in the sky. Maybe she could make it to the Quinjets if she moved fast enough.

Then she remembered that one had been hijacked and three others had been dispatched to follow them. And the others Fury had dispatched to record live footage from the scene. Maria felt the urge to groan.

To her surprise, Fury didn't start to rage, but instead locked the door with a flick of his hand, sealing the two of them alone in the monitoring room. Then he sighed. "Everyone has been telling me that. Even you, my second in command. Can you please give me a few reasons? I have seen no proof of good intentions. He killed one of our own, and damaged our facilities. And yet everyone seems to be helping him. Give me one good, valid reason."

"_Circling the area. We are narrowing it down."_

Nick Fury had compassion too, just like everyone else. To say that he felt it more keenly that everyone else would not be overstretching it either.

However, he'd learned to direct his compassion towards the masses, the people. The mother rocking her baby to sleep. The tired workman going home to a wife and noisy children. The teenager going to school to spend a day with her friends.

Maria gathered her thoughts and began. "Well, you ask for proof of goodwill, but did you even give him a chance to prove it? You restrained him the moment he arrived and prepared interrogation devices. You did not join in the chase for him, you have never met him face to face while he was awake. All you have are facts and numbers, and those can only tell you so much. A person died, but on the other end of the scale, so much more could have died. The Avenger candidates defected because they have seen and judged, and they deemed the boy worthy of another chance. Do you place so little trust in our judgment? And…please look George eye to eye before you pass judgment upon him. Give him a chance to become a potential ally. That's all. I rest my case."

"_We have spotted commotion. Issuing orders to evacuate the area."_

"You base your argument on the assumption that he is well-meaning." Fury answered steadily, word by word. "However, what if he does not harbor good intentions? We need absolute proof, and even then, we do not fully trust him. The Council does not trust me fully, Maria, and neither do I trust each and every one of you fully. We cannot afford to. We build polite co-worker relationships that fall apart the moment one turns out to be a spy. So why should this boy be any different, I ask you?"

"Sometimes we need to take risks to advance." Maria argued. "Look at all our inventions today. The atomic bomb, the Hulk. Without experiments, without that risk, we would still be in the Stone Age!"

"And when that risk turns out to be a genuine threat millions of lives hang in the balance!" Fury shot back.

"And if that risk turns out to be an ally millions of lives could be saved!"

"_Do we have permission to land? Repeat, do we have permission to land and interfere?"_

They came to a standstill, glaring at each other. Maria didn't blink, and neither did Fury, with his lone eye.

One minute passed.

Then there was a scream, and the monitor screen went black.

Fury turned to face Maria, eyes cold. The realization that the boy Maria had just been defending might have been the cause of this settled in her stomach like cold dread. Fury did not say anything to her as he swept away. "Prepare the Helicarrier for landing. We are going to the site." He opened the door and started barking commands. "Capture the boy and question the snot out of him. You have permission to use any means necessary."

Only when Fury fully strode out of the room, the door hissing close behind him did Maria start to move as she felt the engines start to reverberate under her feet. She turned to another monitor-it was in the general area, and the angle was completely wrong and the quality of the images was grainy, but she had no other choice. Her eyes narrowed, and she began to put together a plan to get out of here and what she should do when she got there.

Agent Maria Hill was not the second in command of S.H.I.E.L.D. for nothing.

* * *

"You. Have stolen God's boots." Steve deadpanned. "God's boots. I was not aware that God even _wears_ boots. Do you need to visit a Confession booth to offer penance? And I'm pretty sure that the God I worship does not throw people out of windows."

"He even turned blue." Fred commented. "And had really creepy blue eyes. Is that normal?"

"…what?" This new world was overturning every one of Steve's belief. Wasn't God supposed to be unchanging, ever? God was his anchor in this new world, and here was this red-headed boy telling him that God could turn blue and throw people out of windows. And wore boots.

"I don't think you're speaking about the same God here, guys." Bruce intervened before any more confusion could be aroused. "I'll explain later." He quickly added.

Tony propelled himself up to the Fred-shaped hole to take a closer like and he drew a large intake of breath. "It's _summer_. And it's Winter Wonderland in there. Complete with…is that an _ice butterfly?!_"

"…" Fred blushed tomato red. "Um, I believe that belongs to me."

"What went on in there anyway?" Steve questioned. "Is there an immediate threat? Do you need any first aid? "

Fred quickly cast a few Healing Charms over his scrapes and bruises and shook his head. "Nah. Just some creepy catman who turned blue and freaked out. I got his boots though! He said it was dragon hide. Well, he didn't say it wasn't dragon hide. He has large feet though, really tall. Shining blue eyes."

Tony turned at the mention of 'dragon hide'. As far as he knew, no dragons were present on Earth. Which means…

He quickly scanned the boots Fred held up in triumph and compared them with another set of boots through both human and electronic eyes.

Yes, they were the same. The boots are-were owned by a Loki Odinson, God of Chaos and Mischief. Who was currently trying to take over the planet. Tony took another look in the iced room and saw a throne of some sorts, complete with _cushions_. Cautiously, Tony scanned it for any kind of traps, and when he found none, lowered his behind onto it and spoke into his comm-link.

"Guys, guess who those boots belong to."

"Loki." Came the immediate reply.

"You're no fun!" Tony whined, shifting to make himself more comfortable in the chair. "Where did he go anyway? Am I supposed to start blowing this place up?"

"No blowing the place up!" Steve quickly yelled up at the broken hole. He didn't trust these tiny pieces of plastic to carry his voice to Stark.

"Okay, okay, I get…it…" A pair of Chitauri soldiers appeared at the entrance, and Tony's first instinct was to fire a barrage of missiles at them, effectively bringing the whole structure down and he had to fly out of there as fast as the thrusters could take him, nearly crashing into another building as well.

"…whoops." He powered up his thrusters again, making sure not to skim within ten feet of the ground, lest Steve leap up and give him the hell of his life for not taking his words seriously.

"What did you do?" Fred asked, eyes wide. Another magic user? Did he get the wrong person? Was this man with the Gryffindor-ish suit the real put-through-things-he-shouldn't-have-to-go-through-greatly-misunderstood wizard? The red and gold blazes that erupted out of his hand certainly looked like magic. To be more specific, Incendio and Reducto combined.

Steve glared at Tony, hovering above them. A helicopter was looming on the skyline, presumed to be called by one of the citizens who saw the explosion. "He did exactly what I told him not to."

"I didn't blow it up! I just…er, gave it a makeover. Doesn't it look positively ravishing now?" Tony sweated. The wrath of Captain America should not be incurred, as saying goes, when a good man goes to war…

"No one eats buildings, Tony. Now get down here. That helicopter's from S.H.I.E.L.D." Bruce's voice was quiet but firm.

"Oh, in that case…" Tony brought up a few holograms within his visor and quickly but efficiently cut off all systems of communications leading to that helicopter. Unfortunately, at the same time a burst of energy crashed into the helicopter too, sending it spiraling to the ground.

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_" Fred yelled, stopping the helicopter just in time before it hit the asphalt. Thankfully this was in a deserted area, and no one was around to hear the crash as Fred released the spell and let the helicopter's nose touch the ground after rotating it.

A red headed girl leapt out as soon as the helicopter was stabilized, blood trickling from her left ear and a small pistol held in her hand, aimed right at them, the silencer screwed on. "Would you please not go around crashing our equipment every _single time _in the middle of a report?! I don't think my ear can take anymore of the transmitter suddenly short-circuiting out, thank you very much. I'm only sixteen, will you very well please allow me to go on my first date and actually hear what my boyfriend is telling me when he isn't pushing me away?"

Fred stared in amazement. This girl…

"Ginny?" He breathed.

* * *

_Cold, darkness, falling falling falling falling from grace from the Bifrost falling falling falling…_

He had never been high in the first place, so where could he fall anyway?

_Always within the deepest pits, moonlight to the sunshine._

And then even that little light that he had was gone.

_Warmth, sun, day, gold, they were good, were they not?_

_Cold, moon, night, silver, they are always bad, are they not?_

_The golden hero killing the silver villain, the sun outshining the moon, the warmth taking over the cold, day over night. Ra triumphing over Sobet. _

Is that his fate…?

He could not even feel the cold of the snow crunching beneath his bare feet. The Jotunn did feel cold, contrary to popular belief, but they enjoy it instead of cursing it.

Bare feet courtesy of that strange red-headed boy.

He reminded him of his insufferable brother, except toned down and he had a little of Loki in him too. A blend of the sun and moon.

_He will outshine and tread you down too, as the others did._

And he had the nerve to take his boots. Not that Loki would miss them, as they were equipped for him by Thanos.

_You __**will **__respected your gift from the master!_

Ah, he grimaced. So that voice was not his subconscious, but from Thanos instead.

"Shut. Up." He ground out, smashing a fist into a tree. Splinters embedded into his skin, the pain helping him focus. He flung away the blue staff he'd just realized that he was carrying. It clattered on the frozen ground and rolled to his feet, daring him to pick it up again. Thanos was starting to give Loki a migraine.

A Chitauri soldier approached, having finally tracked their puppet general down. Roughly, he dragged Loki's fingers to the staff. Loki threw an ice knife at it, but he went forward with the momentum of being pulled, and a sudden bolt of energy shot sharply through his skull, sending Loki to his knees screaming.

The second his fingers made contact with the staff his eyes turned blue again.

_You will obey my every command. For you are trash, and I the King. Now go, and make Midgard mine.  
_

"Yes, Master." Loki said aloud, blue eyes glinting, and deep inside himself, Loki's real self curled in on himself and thought that perhaps, maybe, what he was saying was actually true.


End file.
